Steam boiler and economizer



Oct. 18, 1932. LUCKE 1",ss3,3 12

I STEAM BOILER AND ECONOHIZER Filed March 14. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR W ATTORNEYS Oct. 18, 1932. c. E. LUCKE 1,833,312

swam BOILER AND EcoNoMI zER Filedl larch 14. 1930 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3:

INVENTOR ATT %Q ORNEYS Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. LUCKE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BABCOCK 8a 'WILCOX COMPANY, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY STEAM BOILER AND ECONOMIZER Application filed March 14, 1930. Serial No. 435,753.

My invention more particularly relates to a steaming economizer comprising two sections, the flow area for the fluid through the tubes of one section, namely, the section carrying steam and water, being greater than that for the other section which carries water alone.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. 1 is an end view 0 a fragmentary portion of a boiler to which water and some steam is supplied from an economizer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view illustrating the ends of two tubes located in -respective sections of the economizer and connected by a return bend, in which the return bendis larger at its outlet end than at its inlet end; Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 2 taken on the line 3-3 thereof; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but in which the return bend 6' is the same size at both the outlet and inlet ends; Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 4 taken on the line 5-5 thereof; Fig. 6 is a side view of a fitting in connection with a return bend in which one tube enters the fitting and two tubes leave the same, all tubes being of the same size; Fig. 7 is a plan view of Fig. 6; Fig. 8

is an end view of Fig. 6 taken on the line 8-8 thereof; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary portion of an economizer in which the ends of the tubes are connected to junction boxes, and illustrating adjacent portions of two sections; Fig. 10 is a sectional view illustrating two tubes of adjacent sections, the one tube larger than the other, and connected at their ends to a junction box; Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a plan View of Fig. 11; Figs. 13, 14, and 15 are similar to Figs. 10, 11, and 12, respectively, but illustrate tubes in both sections of the same size; Fig. 16 is a sectional side view illustrating the lower section of the economizer connected to the upper section by a header and in which the tubes 7 in the lower section are of smaller di- 4 ameter than the tubes 8 in the upper section,

there being the same number of tubes in each section; Fig. 17 is a sectional view showing a similar arrangement to that shown in Fig. 16 with the tubes connected at their ends to a header, but in this case all the tubes are of the same diameter and there are more outlet tubes than inlet tubes provided, and Fig. 18 is a section taken on the line 18-18 of Fig. 17.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to F lgs. 1, 2, and 3, 1 is a flue, and 2 a header to which water is supplied by a pump 200, the water flowing from the header 2 through the lowermost row of tubes 3, which is connected to the next higher row of tubes by return bends 4 which constitute no part of my present invention.

The economizer embodying my invention comprises two sections, the lower section of which is indicated at 5. The tubes of the upper row of the lower section are connected to the tubes of the lower row of the upper section 9 of the economizer by return bends 6 which, in the form here shown, have larger outlets than inlets. The upper ends of the upper section 9 are indicated at 8 and are connected by return bends 10, the uppermost row of tubes of the section 9 being connected by extensions or nipples 11 to the steam and water drum 12 of a steam boiler which is indicated at 120 and in which there is a circulation through downtake headers 121, inclined tubes "122, and return connections which are not illustrated in the drawings.

The inlet and outlet ends ofthe return bends 6 are preferably provided with flanges 13 and 14 as indicated in Fig. 2, and the openings in which communicate with the tubes 7 and 8, respectively, by respective cooperating fianges 17 and 16.

In operation, water is forced by the pump 200 into the header 2 and the lowermost row of the lower section 5, from which it passes through the return bends to the next higher row, and thus continue from one row to the next higher row until it flows through the extensions or nipples 11 to the steam and water drum. It will be understood that the arrangement of the tubes and the gas flow is such that water flows through, the lower section of the economizer, and a mixture of steam and water through the upper section. Figs. 4 and 5 are similar to Figs. 2 and 3, but illustrate inlet and outlet ends of the return bend 6 of the same size and which is easier to form than that shown in Fig. 2. The parts illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 similar to those in Figs. 2 and 3 are indicated b similar reference characters, but are prime In the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, a branched pipe section is connected to. the flange 16, and is provided at its ends with flanges 21 to which are connected flanges 211 on the ends of tubes 22, so that there are twice as many outlet tubes for the lowermost row of the upper section as inlet tubes for the uppermost row of the lower section.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, a smaller tube 7 of the lowermost section is connected to a junction box 24 which may be of rectangular form, and

made from a plain rolled piece of steel.

The junction box 24 is provided with a hole 25 drilled longitudinally of the block, the drilled hole providing communication between the ends of the tubes 7 and 8.

The walls at the end of the openings 25 are tapped and the openings closed by a plug 26. The sides of the block 24 are likewise drilled with openings 27 and 28, the outer portions of which are preferably recessed as indicated and in these recesses the ends of the tubes 7 and 8, respectively, are connected by flanges 30 which engage screw threads 29 formed on upset portions of the tubes 7 and 8, respectively, the flanges being connected to the junction box by bolts 31.

In thearrangement illustrated in Figs. 10 to 12, the tubes 7 of the lowermost section are smaller than the tubes 8 of the uppermost section.

Figs. 13, 14, and 15 are similar to Figs. 10, 11, and 12, but illustrate a junction box 24 for adjoining tubes 7 of the lowermost section.

In Fig. 16 the upper row of tubes of the lowermost section 5 are of smaller diameter than the lower row of tubes of the uppermost section 9, there being an equal number of tubes in these rows, and connected at their ends to a common header 32.

In Figs. 17 and 18 the same result is procured as in Fig. 16, but in this case the upper row of tubes of the lowermost section 5 and the lower row of tubes of the upper section 9 are connected at their ends to a common header 32, the tubes all being of the same size, and there being more tubes in the-upper row than in the lower row.

If the tubes of the upper portion and of the lower portion of the economizer are all of the same size, then any steam generated in the upper section of the ecnomizer, particularly as the water is forced through the economizer by a pump, is likely to create a back pressure in the lower section, and this, in turn, is likely to result in an uneven distribution of water throughout the economizer and may lead to an insuflicient amount of water being supplied to the boiler. This condition is particularly likely to occur if the pump is of the rotary type.

By making'the flow area 'of the upper section larger than that of the lower section, and suflicient to carry along the steam and water, the foregoing difiiculty is obviated. It will, of course, be understood that the upper section of the economizer may comprise a plurality of sections, so that the flow area progressively increases.

Preferably, the upper section of the flue containing the upper section of the economizer having the larger flow area is relatively wide, whereas the lower section thereof containing the tubes of the economizer having a relatively small flow area is relatively narrow. The gas preferably flows downwardly over the tubes of the economizer and. in a direction generally counter to the flow of water through the economizer.

- It will be noted that the water flows through the economizer in series and in a single pass on its way to the steam boiler in which, as already stated, there is preferably a circulation.

It will likewise be noted that any two adacent rows of tubes of the lower section contain water in both rows, whereas, in the upper section, any two adjacent rows of tubes will contain a mixture of steam and water, 1t being understood that the major portion of the fluid discharged from the economizer will usually be in the form of water.

While I have illustrated certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention and without exceeding the scope of the claim.

I claim:

In a fluid heat exchange device, a flue for the passage of heating gases, a first fluid flow section consisting of return bend tubes for conducting a fluid in separated streams through the heating gases from the beginning to the end of the first section, a second flu1d flow section in front of the first section wlth reference to gas travel and comprising twlce as many return bend tubes as are in the first section, the return bend tubes in separate rows in the second section being consecutlvely connectedto provide separated conduits conducting separated streams of fluid through the heating gases from the beginning to the end of the second section, and means connecting each of the last tubes of the first section to at least two tubes of the second section so that a single stream of fluid flowing through the first section is divided into two streams of fluid which are maintained as separate streams throughout their flow in the second section.

CHARLES E. LUCKE. 

